CHEVY CHASE - CHASE DEFENDS GIBSON ARREST

Veteran comic CHEVY CHASE has defended his friend MEL GIBSON following his infamous drink-driving arrest in July (06). In an episode of LAW + ORDER to be screened in the US next month (NOV06), Chase guest stars as a TV celebrity who is pulled over for DUI while wearing blood-soaked clothes, and whose religious prejudice comes out after his arrest. Gibson was arrested for drink-driving in Malibu, California and made anti-Semitic comments to his arresting officers. But Chase is refusing to judge Gibson for his actions, because he was intoxicated at the time, and insists his eerily similar Law + Order role is a coincidence. He says, "These statements were made under the influence of alcohol and sleep medication. I've never seen any bigotry out of Mel. "I don't really know what took place, except what I've read. I respect him and I hope very much for his sake that he learns a few things and gets over this. "I'm well aware that this (Law + Order episode) is familiar, but I look nothing like Mel, I'm older than Mel. He's a good friend."